By Alan Carasso
Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal), the 'TDN Rising Star' who is perhaps better known for his single-mindedness than for his considerable talent, won a 1600-metre barrier trial Tuesday morning at Sha Tin and is one step away from being allowed to race again, perhaps as soon as the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup Feb. 25.
But first things first.
Runner-up in the 2017 Hong Kong Derby and again in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the 5-year-old pulled himself up when favoured at 1-5 in the G3 Premier Plate last June (video) and demonstrated similar behaviour in an October barrier trial, baulking each time at the same spot at about the 1400m point. He was given a ban by Hong Kong Jockey Club stewards, ruling him out of December's Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting, and prior to any clearance to return to action, he would be required to complete two racecourse gallops and two barrier trials. Owner Kern Dim went so far as to fly noted horse behaviourist Monty Roberts into Hong Kong for his input.
Having passed the initial two hurdles, Pakistan Star was partnered in Tuesday's trial by Joao Moreira, who was also in the boot for the Premier Plate. Pakistan Star, who overcame slow starts to record improbable wins in the first two starts of his career, was away without incident, stalked his stablemate Romantic Touch (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) and edged past late (video).
“I gave him some love, that's the way they have been working with him and it worked again today,” Moreira told South China Morning Post. “I was just gentle and he did everything perfectly.”
SCMP reports that the pair galloped out around the turn and past the 1400m once more.
“That was the plan to keep going through that spot, we didn't want to be giving him any reasons to think stopping near there was a good idea again,” Moreira told the Post.
Though there are no regularly scheduled grass trials between Tuesday and the Gold Cup, HKJC Chief Steward Kim Kelly told SCMP that trainer Tony Cruz could apply for one to be arranged.
An €180,000 purchase by the Hong Kong Jockey Club at the Arqana August yearling sale in 2014, Pakistan Star was purchased for HK$6 million out of the 2016 Hong Kong International Sale. From just 11 starts to date, Pakistan Star has three wins and five runner-up efforts for earnings of HK$15.3 million.
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